Khan promises top class stadium, road network

Works and Transport Minister, Franklin Khan, has assured rural communities the post-Caroni era would be “significantly more productive, more enterprising and more profitable” with the introduction of a number of light industrial estates and modern sporting facilities. Speaking at a ceremony to mark the construction of the $15 million alternative access route to the Guaracara/Tabaquite Road off the southbound lane of  the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, Khan reiterated Government’s intention to reduce vehicular traffic along the nation’s major thoroughfares.

The minister said a number of rural access roads, once maintained by the now defunct Caroni Ltd, would be rehabilitated and integrated into the road network system, enabling easy access to “once sleepy villages.” “What we are seeing now, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call life after Caroni Ltd,” Khan said. He added, “Projects like these are now starting to unravel Government’s plans to use the 77,000 acres of Caroni lands for a more integrated development approach, which will include housing, agriculture, light industries and heavy industries.” He said construction of the 20,000 seat Brian Lara Stadium would begin later this year with “tremendous possibilities for the people of South Trinidad.”  “Can you imagine the business that will generate for the people of Reform, hosting of major international games, a facility that will put the Queen’s Park Oval a distant second in terms of its layout, its modern infrastructure and it’s modern design and which will be comparable to some of the best cricket facilities in the world,” Khan said.    

The project has already received Cabinet’s approval and construction would begin, Khan said, later this year. He said the stadium was expected to be completed in time for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. “So for those of you who were scared and frightened and worried and those of you who felt this administration is against the people of Caroni Ltd, you can put that behind you. We are for the total development of all the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Khan said. Khan disclosed that the Churchill Roosevelt Highway to Sangre Grande has been extended to Manzanilla to encourage economic development of the island’s Southeast coast.

When asked by the media about extensive rehabilitative work done on the recently opened Daisy and M1 ring roads yesterday, Khan admitted that sub-standard work had been performed by the contractor which required an overhaul of those sections which had not met ministry standards. “I am very particular about the quality of work and we are going to be very serious with contractors,” he said, adding that the ministry had also withheld payments until a complete overhaul of both access roads were completed. The cost of both the Daisy  and the M1 Ring roads was estimated to be $19 million.